Information needed about Lake Forest-irvine-Mission Viejo-Laguna Hills area (Orange, Aliso Viejo: sales, real estate)

[yphs_mst]

Hi,

I may move to Orange County to accept a job offer in Lake Forest. I am looking at 4 neighborhoods near Lake Forest: Lake Forest itself, Irvine, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo. I have browsed this forum and checked out comments about the area in general. They are very helpful. I'd like to read some comments about income tax, property tax (yes I'm thinking to get a house in the next few years), and also school district quality in these 4 areas? Can someone advise?

Thank you in advance.

[Charles]

Most of what you are looking for is here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/orang...ing-tools.html

Income tax is federal and state.

Property tax is guestimated around 1.3% when you factor in everything which may include mello roos.

Redfin is the best real estate tool.

You can get property tax bills for any property in OC by visiting the OC tax assessor's website.

School performance scores vary from good to excellent: California School Performance Maps

[yphs_mst]

Thank you for the reference. They are very helpful. Yes I know about the income tax. I was hoping someone can tell if there is a city tax, or any income tax differences (if there are any) based on that 4 locations. I will check your links more carefully.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by yphs_mst

Thank you for the reference. They are very helpful. Yes I know about the income tax. I was hoping someone can tell if there is a city tax, or any income tax differences (if there are any) based on that 4 locations. I will check your links more carefully.

I don't think there is (at least I've never heard of any). The biggies are state and federal (and other paycheck stuff), property tax, sales tax, gasoline taxes,...can't think of others.

[woodrough]

For property tax, it's best to find some example houses you like and then look up the specific tax rates for them to get a feel for how the areas compare. It can vary pretty widely. Ours ended up being under 1.1% even with Mello-Roos. But we saw a few houses (though not in the areas you're talking about) where it was 1.8%. That can make a pretty big difference in your actual cash outlay.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by woodrough

But we saw a few houses (though not in the areas you're talking about) where it was 1.8%.

How can it be that high? Located in an incorporated or non-incorporated city? Special taxes for water or school bonds? That sounds really high.

Edit: I just checked ours. It is 1.54% but I think it is because we don't live in an incorporated city and we pay a tax for a water bond or something plus a $2500 mello roos (which expires in a few years).

[woodrough]

The 1.8% was Aliso Viejo, with Mello Roos somewhere in the neighborhood of $7000. I don't remember the other details off the top of my head.